Scripture: Genesis 21-23
Learning Objectives:
- Students will review the story of Abraham, God’s Promises and Isaac.
- Students will learn Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away and they were struggling to find food and water.
- Students will learn/review the concept of the sun providing heat energy strong enough to cook food.
- Students will participate in an activity to build and cook with a solar oven.
Guiding Question: How can you use the sun to cook food?
Materials:empty pizza boxes (preferably one for each student), aluminum foil, clear plastic wrap, skewers or other similar type stick, black paper, scrap paper, tape, scissors, marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate bars
Procedure: Review the story of Abraham focusing especially on the story of Hagar and Ishmael being cast out. Discuss with the students how Ishmael and Hagar were suffering partially because it was difficult to locate food and water in the wilderness. Discuss how one of the first things they would have needed to do was find good sources of food and hydration. Teach/review the basics of the sun creating heat energy which is strong enough to cook food.
Give each student an empty pizza box. Have them cut a large square in the top of the pizza box (On three sides. The bottom of the square should remain connected to the back of the pizza box.). Give them enough aluminum foil large enough to cover the inside of the square. Have them lift the remainder of the top of the ox and line the bottom of the inside of the box with black paper. Show students how to take the scrap paper and line the inside sides of the box with several layers of scrap paper. Have them tape all of the papers in place. Let them close the pice of the box top left after cutting the large square. The hole should be covered with two layers of clear plastic wrap, taken into place.
Take the ovens outdoors and place in direct sunlight. Have students take a square of chocolate and a marshmallow and place them between two graham crackers. Have them place their food inside of the box, underneath the plastic wrap. Allow them to use the sticks if necessary to make sure the top square covered in aluminum foil remains open and able to reflect the sun’s rays. Check periodically until the food is “done”. Cooking times will vary depending upon the strength of the sun in your location. If you are in an area where the solar ovens would be a viable option for home cooking, also send students home with other recipes adapted for solar oven cooking. (Please note: These recipes have not been tested by Teach One Reach One. Please use all safety and food safety rules when using any recipe.)
Additional Questions:
- How can you adapt other recipes for cooking in a solar oven?
Supplemental Activity: Have more advanced students research recipes for breads eaten in their area. Have them examine solar recipes and compare them to standard recipes for similar dishes. Have them attempt to change the bread recipe so it will work in a solar oven. Allow them to attempt their recipe to see if it works.